On the roster for his third Summer League, Andre Jackson Jr. needed to impress, especially with the Milwaukee Bucks pushing back the guarantee date on his contract. This felt like a do-or-die situation, and thus far, Jackson has done anything but impress. It's only been two games, but in those games, he's looked lost. If it continues, it will have massive ramifications for his future in Milwaukee.
Bucks' Jackson hasn't impressed in the Summer League yet
In the Summer League opener against the Denver Nuggets, Jackson poured in six points on 2-of-2 shooting to go with five rebounds and three assists, but he also logged four fouls and three personal fouls. In the second game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, he logged just two points but tallied five fouls and two turnovers.
The same issues that got him benched last year are still prominent. He turns the ball over with wild passes, fouls too much when he doesn't need to, and, perhaps most noticeable of all, he passes up good shots consistently. These are all reasons why Jackson hasn't been able to stick in the rotation during his first two seasons and why he's in this situation gearing up for year three.
As a third-year player who started 43 games for the Milwaukee Bucks last season, Jackson should be dominating in the Summer League. Two games in, it hasn't been anything close. The growth the team has hoped for simply hasn't been there.
None of this bodes well for Jackson if he wants to stick with the Milwaukee Bucks. The team clearly isn't committed to him fully after the contract update, and these past couple of games could make it a far easier decision to part with him. Whether it's via trade or outright cutting him, Jackson's days with the Bucks might be numbered if he can't string together a few good performances here.
Adding pressure to the situation is Milwaukee's current two guard depth, which is a strong point of the roster with Gary Trent Jr., AJ Green, and Gary Harris already under contract. There's room for one more, but Jackson has to prove he's worth that spot.
The good news is that Andre Jackson Jr. still has time to turn things around. He will have to look like a new player entirely compared to these first two games, but it's possible.
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